Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, Senator Cruz, the Senator from Texas, and Senator Cantwell, the Senator from Washington State, thank you very much for the opportunity to join with you today and throughout a long process since January 29, earlier this year.

That flight--Flight 5342--originated in Wichita, KS, and, as we know, on January 29, it collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter, and it changed the way we look at air safety every moment since then.

I appreciate the leadership of my two colleagues on the full committee, as well as Senator Duckworth, my colleague on the Subcommittee on Aviation, to make certain that we take all the steps necessary and to make certain for the families who remind us today, and almost every day since January 29, about the importance of making the skies of the United States safe for those who fly today and in the future.

There are numerous--numerous--circumstances that led to this horrific incident, and NTSB's critical investigation into this collision is continuing. While NTSB's final recommendations have not yet been released, the Chair of the NTSB, Jennifer Homendy, took the unprecedented step of publicly stating that the National Defense Authorization Act does not adequately address the safety concerns surrounding the mixed airspace at DCA.

And while the NDAA is critical to bolstering our defense capabilities, I have major concerns with the portion of the bill that is being fixed by the efforts today, here on the Senate floor, with this unanimous consent request.

After numerous conversations with my colleagues Senator Cruz and Senator Cantwell, we secured an agreement from the Senate leadership-- and I thank that Senate leadership, Senator Thune--for an amended version of the ROTOR Act that would be quickly brought to the Senate floor for consideration to reinstate and advance critical standards of safety for commercial and military aviation.

We are doing that right now.

The ROTOR Act closes the loopholes that have been described by my colleagues and strengthens ADS-B requirements for commercial and military aircraft, among many other things.

It requires safety reviews of DCA, and it requires better coordination between the FAA and DOD. I commend the FAA Administrator for his commitment, and particularly Secretary Duffy, for their combined commitment to air safety.

In fact, when we conclude this effort here on the Senate floor, our committee is in session. Our subcommittee is in session with Administrator Bedford, the FAA Administrator, to review what other steps are being taken across the country for safe airspace at every airport.

We are bringing technology to bear that has only been talked about in the past and is now being accomplished. Our aviation system is fragile, and over the last year, Congress has passed significant legislation investing in that airspace to increase the safety and to make sure that all who fly can be and are safe and feel safe.

Now is not the time to take any steps backward, and that is what we were worried and concerned about that the NDAA provision does.

While Congress works to ensure in law the safety of our airspace, our DOT and FAA leaders are committed to abide by current safety standards, maintaining that safety at the DCA airspace.

As both have said, more work can be done, but it is a pretty good day to be taking the steps we are taking and knowing that more is to come in honor of those who perished, on January 29, from Kansas, across the country, and around the world.

I yield back to the chairman of the committee.

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